Electric-lamp socket.



G. W. GOODRIDGB.

ELECTRIC LAMP SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.12. 1913.

3%. Patented Dec. 15. 1914.

STATEd PATENT @FFlCE GILBERT W. GOODRIDGE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BBIDGEPOR/I, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CUN- NECTICUT.

ELECTRIC-LAMP SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Eatcnt.

Patented Dec. 15, 191st.

Application filed December 12, 1913. Serial No. 806,298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, GILBERT W. G001)- Rrocn, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented acertain new and Improved Electric-Lamp Socket, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric lamp sockets and particularly to the casing thereof, the object of my invention being to improve the engagement between the usual shell and cap elements thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective of a casing shell and cap, detached; Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof assembled and partially in section; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of a detail.

The cap and shell fastening to which the present invention relates, is of the character shown in my prior Patents 872,283; 879,819 (reissued 13,227) and 958,626. As these patents show I have heretofore proposed to provide the upper portion of the shell 10 with outwardly pressed latching projections 11 on substantially opposite sides thereof which take into any of a series of recesses 12 formed in the lower peripheral flange of the cap 13, to prevent endwise separation of the parts after they have been slee ed together into latched position. To prevent relative rotary movement of the cap and shell in latched position, I have not only corrugated the sleeved portions of the shell and cap but also provided other projections it, 15 the engaging edges of which are vertical and face in opposite directions. These bumps engage the opposite vertical edges of the recesses 12 in the flange of the can and obviously prevent the latter from rotating in either direction on the shell. In order that these latching elements may be readily freed to permit the removal of the cap, certain of the projcctions on the shell are located adjacent the slit 16 in the upper edge of the shell. Since the latter is made of relatively thin spring metal, slight manual pressure on the portion of the shell carrying the projections 11 and 14 adjacent the slit 1%, is sutticicnt to press them inward and out of engagement with the cobpera mg elements on the cap flange whereupon the cap may be rocked open, the catches on the opposite side of the cap serving temporarily as a sort of hinge, until they are freed by the further opening movement of the cap.

As will be readily understood it is practically impossible to locate these latter catches at any point other than substantially opposite the catches adjacent the slit 16, since otherwise the engagement between the cap and shell would be insecure. Nor can these catches be repeated around the upper edge of the shell since it would then be impossible to readily free the cap from the shell after they had once been latched.

The arrangement of the two groups of latching elements at points substantially opposite on the shell, results in an engagement which while perfectly strong, gives rise to an impression of insecurity by reason of the fact that the practically unavoidable play between the sleeving sections of the shell and cap permits the cap to rock slightly on the axis formed by the projections 11. This may be prevented in various ways. The simple means here shown comprises a pair of outwardly extending projections 17 on opposite sides of the shell and on an axis at right angles to that formed by the projections 11. The upper or engaging edges of these projections 17 lie substantially in the plane of the lower edge of the flange of the cap in the latched position of the latter and thus form seats on opposite sides of the shell which prevent it from rocking in either direction. The cap is thus supported at four points substantially equally spaced around the shell, while it may still be readily tilted open as before, by merely pressing in the latching element 11 carried by the shell adjacent the slit 16.

I claim as my invention A socket casing comprising cap and shell sleeved together, said shell having a slit extending into said sleeved portion, coiip crating latching elements on said cap and shell arranged within the slecving area, said latching elements on the shell lying on substantially opposite sides thereof and adja- 10c cent the slit on one side, in combination with name tov this specification, in the presence of projections on the shell underlying the two subscribing witnesses.

lower ed 'e of the ca at o osite oints and v substantially at riglit ang lgs to t l ie axis of GILBERT GQODRIDGE' 5 the latching elements, substantially-as de- Witnesses:

scribed. H. W. WICHERT,

In testimony whereof I have signed my A. H. JONES.

Copies of this psr'tent may he obtahml for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Pat ent-s,

Washington, D. C." 1 

